Device for putting on socks



May 2, 1961 J. zlcARELLl DEVICE FOR PUTTING ON SOCKS Filed June 26, 1959 INV EN TOR.

United States Patent() DEVICE FOR PUTTING ON SOCKS Joseph Zicarelli, 410 E. 13th St., New York, N.Y.

Filed June 26, 1959, Ser. No. 823,220

4 Claims. (Cl. 223-112) This invention relates to apparatus for assisting in put ting socks and stockings on a person.

' A principal object of the present invention is to provide apparatus of this type that is helpful in assisting persons with a disability to dress.

AAnother object of the invention is to provide apparatus of this type with a bench or stool having openings with means for supporting a pair of socks or stockings in suspended condition thereunder so as to facilitate insertion of the feet into the socks or stockings.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of this kind with spring means for supporting the socks or stockings in suspended condition under tension while being put on the feet, and for releasing the socks or stockings fromkthe apparatus upon bringing subsequent pressure to bear.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and kadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure: j

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus embodying the invention, parts being shown broken away and socks being shown in position in dot-dash lines.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of an enlarged scale taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring in detail to the drawings, in Fig. 1 there is shown an apparatus made in accordance with the invention. The apparatus comprises a rectangular bench or stool having a flat wooden top board 12 supported a predetermined distance above a supporting floor T by corner legs 14. The top board is formed with a pair of spaced oval-shaped openings 15, adjacent the ends thereof. A tubular metal sleeve is fitted in each opening 15. Each sleeve is cut away at one of its narrow ends thereby providing a semicylindrical extension 20 above the top board. The top edge of the extension is curled outwardly to provide a bead 22. The top edge of the other narrow end of the sleeve is bent flatwise to provide an arcuate-shaped ange 24 which is fixed to the top surface of the board 12 by nails or rivets 26, thereby securing the sleeve in position in its opening 15. The sleeved opening is sufciently large to receive the foot of a person using the apparatus.

A coiled spring assembly 29 for releasably supporting a sock or stocking S in suspended condition is associated with each sleeved opening. This spring assembly includes an endless coil spring 28 of oval shape connected at one end to one end of an elongated screw 32. The connection between the end of the screw and the coil spring includes a semispherical nut 30 on the end of the screw and opposed flexible lingers 31 projecting from the face 'of the nut 30 and encircling the end of the spring. The

spring is thus flexibly connected to the screw.

y The otherv end of the screw is formed with ahook serving as a handle 38 for turning the screw. The spring assembly is lxed in position on the board 12 by means of a screw-threaded bearing block 34 secured to the edge of the board by screws 36. The shank of the screw 32 extends through the bearing'block with the coil spring 28 encircling the extension 20 of the sleeve 16 immediately below the bead 22 on vthe extension. Thetension of the-spring on the extension can be adjusted by turning the screw 32 by means of the handle 38 which projects outwardly of the top board 12.

A substantially U-shaped handle 40 is secured at each end of the board 12 by screws 42 extending through feet 44 formed on the ends of the handle. The handle extends a distance above the board to permit the person using the apparatus to grasp the same for balancing himself while Y. so that the foot portion P thereof is below the board 12 but raised above the supporting surface T, and its end band B is rolled over the top of the bead 22 and downwardly over the outer surface of the extension 20 immediately below the bead 22. The sock is now in open suspended condition adapted to receive the foot of the user; The coil spring 28 is next slipped over the rolled over portion of the end band B and interlocked with the bead 22r as shown in Fig. 4 thereby lightly and yieldingly clamping the band portion B of the sock onto the extension 20. The band B of the sock is thus held in open position by the extension 20 and the opening therein is sutiiciently large to receive the foot of the user. While standing on the oor T, the'foot F of the'user is inserted into the open band B of the sock, as shown in Fig. l, and forced downwardly into the foot portion P of the sock. When the foot is completely encased in the sock S, the foot is forced downwardly which movement will draw the band B of the sock upwardly along the extension 20 and over the bead 22 and downwardly through the extension of the sleeve 16 thereby releasing the sock from the sleeve 16, whereupon the foot with the sock thereon can be lifted upwardly through the opening 15 free of the apparatus and planted on the oor. The other foot of the user is then inserted in a sleeve 16 and covered with a sock in the same manner. The spring 28 remains in position on the extension 20 of the sleeve during these operations. lBy grasping the handles 40, the operation of donning the socks and removing the sock-covered feet from the apparatus can be easily carried out with little discomfort to the user.

It will be understood that the tension of the spring 28 must be so adjusted by the screw 32 that the sock will be held on the extension 20 while the foot is being inserted thereinto, but will yield and move free of the spring when pressure is exerted by the foot after the foot is encased in the sock.

Once the socks are mounted on the sleeves 16, the donning of the socks is all foot motion, andno hands are needed so that it is not necessary for the user to bend over, and the hands may be placed on the handles 40 for support and comfort.

The apparatus has particular utility for a disabled person. Either'the person or an attendant can mount the socks or stockings on the apparatus and the person can thereafter don the stockings without having to touch them manually or to bend his back as would otherwise be required if he put on the stockings by hand.

The |legs 14 can be provided with hin-ges so that they are foldable against the board 12 to occupy minimumV space in storage and while being transported. Although the sleevesl 20 are shown made of metal, they can be made of plastic material. The bench or stool may be of wood, metal, plastic, ber or other suitable material.

It is to be understood that the top board 12 may be placed in a frame and be removable, so that the top `of the board faces the oor and *the bottom of the board faces upwardly so as to be usable as a table. Then the foot openings 15 will be provided with a cover and use the bottom of the inverted board 12 as a table.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent 1. An apparatus for putting on a sock, comprising a bench having a top, said top having at least one hole therein, a tubular sleeve supported at said hole and having an upright vertical semicyclindrical extension, said extension having a turned edge at the upper free end thereof for engaging the top of a sock thereover.

2. An apparatus for putting on a sock, comprising a bench having a top, said top having at least one hole therein, a tubular sleeve supported at said hole and having an upright vertical semicylindrical extension, said extension having a turned edge at the upper free end thereof for engaging the top of a sock thereover, and a coil spring looped around the extension at said turned edge for releasably holding the engaged top of the sock.

3. An apparatus for putting on a sock, comprising a bench vhaving a top, said top having at least one hole therein, a tubular sleeve supported in said hole and having an upright vertical semicylindrical extension, said extension having a turned edge at the upper free end thereof for engaging the top of a sock thereover, and a coil spring looped around the extension at said turned edge for releasab'ly holding the engaged top of the sock, said bench having legs supporting said top, said legs having equal lengths and being longer than said sock when engaged on said sleeve. v

4. An apparatus for putting on socks, comprising a bench having a at top, said top having a pair of holes therein, with tubular sleeves supported at said holes and having upstanding extensions from the flat top of the bench for engaging tops of the socks thereon with the socks extending through said holes, with the feet portions of the socks located below the bench top, spring means removably engaged on said extensions for releasably holding under spring tension the engaged tops of the socks, means for adjusting the tension of said spring means, and means for supporting the -bench top above a floor a distance greater than the distance from the underside of said bench to the bottoms of the feet portions of the socks, the last-named means being legs of said bench, the adjusting means being manually operable screws, and said spring means being looped coil springs secured to said screws.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,315,096 Deiley Sept. 2, 1919 2,443,115 Park June 8, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 4,221 Great Britain Dec. i9, 1907 

